{{Comment-box1|label=Comment:|text=Notice how the regular teacher was a "Mrs." while the new one is "Ms."? Could this be a subtle foreshadowing of how unpleasant Ms. Henn is going to be? After all, middle-aged women who go by "Ms." obviously have something wrong with them... right?}}

−

'''Class:''' Good Morning, Mrs. Henn!

+

(Panel 3)

+

* '''Ms. Henn:''' "We're going to be great friends... and you'll meet many of my close friends, too."

−

'''Mrs. Henn:''' Thank you, children.

+

{{Comment-box1|label=Comment:|text="You'll meet many of my close friends"? Usually, teachers don't invite their friends to class. But maybe this is supposed to refer to the many great figures of history (a picture of George Washington can be seen hanging on the wall) and, presumably, science that Ms. Henn plans to introduce the children to.}}

−

Panel 2

+

(Panel 4)

+

* '''Ms. Henn:''' "We're going to have such ''fun'' together... As long as you do what ''<u>I</u>'' say!"

−

'''Mrs Henn:''' We're going to be great friends... and you'll meet many of my close friends, too. We're going to have such fun together... as long as you do what I say!

+

{{Comment-box1|label=Comment:|text=Chick portrays the teacher as visually unappealing, in order to help get his message across.}}

−

{{Comment-box1|label=Comment:|text="You'll meet many of my close friends"? Usually, teachers don't invite their friends to class. And Chick is also portraying the teacher as visually unappealing, in order to get his message across.}}

+

(Panel 5)

+

: LATER

+

* '''Ms. Henn:''' "Today I want you to know how great you are and how far humans have come... soon we'll live in outer space!"

+

* '''Class:''' ''(various kids)'' "Ooh!" "Wow!" "Awesome!"

−

Panel 3

+

(Panel 6)

+

* '''Ms. Henn:''' "But it took millions of years to change from apes into humans."

−

LATER

+

{{Comment-box1|label=Comment:|text=She is gesturing toward a poster showing the classic ape-to-man-walking-upright series of depictions, labeled "Evolution of Man". Of course, the species did not change from ape to human; apes and humans have a relatively recent [[common ancestor]]. Evolution is best not thought of as a series of species, one after another. A better metaphor is that of a tree, in which existing species give rise to new species (larger branches sprouting off smaller ones) but are not replaced by them (not necessarily, anyway).}}

−

'''Mrs. Henn:''' Today I want you to know how great you are and how far humans have come. Soon we'll live in outer space. But it took millions of years to change from apes into humans.

+

(Panel 7)

+

* '''Kid:''' "Ms. Henn, did we ''really'' come from monkeys?"

+

* '''Ms. Henn:''' "Yes, scientists have ''PROVEN'' it."

−

{{Comment-box1|label=Comment:|text=the species did not change from ape to human. Apes and humans have a relatively recent common ancestor. Evolution is best not thought of as a linear "ladder"; a better metaphor is a branching tree.}}

+

{{Comment-box1|label=Comment:|text=Science has proven no such thing. No teacher who really understands science would use the word "proven" in this context. More importantly, though, the correct answer to the kid's question is, "No." Or more precisely: "No, not monkeys like we see today, but ape-like animals that gave rise to humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and other modern apes."}}

{{Comment-box1|label=Comment:|text=Ms. Henn is now brandishing a large rod, pointed directly at Susy. The threat of physical violence is palpable.}}

−

'''Mrs. Henn:''' WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY!?

+

(Panel 10)

+

* '''Ms. Henn:''' "Well, Miss ''Barnes'', what did you tell that little boy?"

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "Ms. Henn, I told him the truth... We didn't come from monkeys."

−

{{Comment-box1|label=Comment:|text=The teacher is behaving as a [[straw man]] in this panel. A teacher would not get angry at the suggestion of [[creationism]], in reality she would simply attempt to correct the child's misconceptions.}}

+

{{Comment-box1|label=Comment:|text=The irony is, Susy ''is'' telling the truth &mdash; but not in the way Chick (or Susy) thinks.}}

+

+

(Panel 11)

+

* '''Ms. Henn:''' "Are ''you'' calling me a ''<u>liar</u>''?"

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "No, ma'am... ''You're'' calling ''God'' a liar!"

+

* '''Ms. Henn:''' "You come with me!"

+

+

{{Comment-box1|label=Comment:|text=Ms. Henn is actually shaking with rage at this point.}}

+

+

(Panel 12)

+

* '''Timmy:''' "''Oh no!...'' What's gonna happen to li'l Susy?"

+

+

(Panel 13)

+

* '''Ms. Henn:''' "How ''dare'' you embarrass me in front of the class! You are in ''deep trouble'', young lady!"

+

+

(Panel 14)

+

* '''Ms. Henn:''' "And I never ''forgive'' or ''forget!'' ''Now'', go back in there and keep your mouth shut... ''or else!''"

* '''Ms. Henn:''' "If I tell you we came from apes... I ''expect'' you to believe me... ''right?''"

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "Oh Lord, she's ''lying!'' What can I ''do?''"

+

+

{{Comment-box1|label=Comment:|text=She isn't lying. She obviously believes what she is saying. Susy isn't lying either. Susy says what she imagines is true. Also aren't you supposed not to say the lord's name in vain? That seems vain to me.}}

{{Comment-box1|label=Comment:|text=So we are supposed to refuse to believe scientists without even looking at the evidence just because someone drew a characture of a really unpleasant and irrational teacher. The teacher and the class are fiction.}}

{{Comment-box1|label=Comment:|text=Here's what scientists say about the relationship between birds and dinosaurs. Here's [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Origin_of_birds&oldid=262070464 Wikipedia's evidence]. Here's [http://www.abc.net.au/science/slab/dinobird/story.htm another source]}}.

+

+

(Panel 20)

+

* '''Timmy:''' "Susy, why did you say Ms. Henn called God a liar?"

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "Cuz God made the earth in only 6 days, '''<u>not</u>''' millions of years."

+

* '''Timmy:''' "How do ''you'' know?"

+

+

+

{{Comment-box1|label=Comment:|text=Jack Chick gives no reason why the [[Bible]] is considered more reliable than other [[Creation myths]].}}

+

+

(Panel 21)

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "God tells us in the Bible what happened... and He should know... He was ''there!'' Was Ms. Henn?"

+

* '''Timmy:''' "She's old, but she's not ''that'' old!"

+

+

(Panel 22)

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "God said He made the ''first'' dinosaur and the ''first'' man... on the ''same day!'' And that was about ''6,000'' years ago, not ''millions!''"

+

+

(Panel 23)

+

* '''Timmy:''' "''That's'' in the Bible?"

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "The Bible tells us ''lots'' of stuff. It ''even'' tells us where we go when we ''die''.

+

+

(Panel 24)

+

* '''Timmy:''' "We all go to ''heaven,'' right?

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "No, Timmy, ''most'' people will end up in hell."

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "How come?"

+

+

(Panel 25)

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "Because of Sin, Timmy... Sin is when people do ''bad'' things and disobey God. And ''sin'' is what keeps people from going to heaven."

+

* '''Timmy:''' "Wow, I didn't know ''that!''"

+

+

(Panel 26)

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "The saddest part is... if people are told that we come from ''apes...'' and ''believe'' it... Then they ''won't'' pay any attention to what ''God'' Says."

+

+

(Panel 27)

+

* '''Timmy:''' "Susy, what Ms. Henn told us today is ''wrong'' if it gets us in ''trouble'' with God."

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "That's right! This ''lie'' was created by the devil to keep kids out of heaven."

+

+

(Panel 28)

+

* '''Timmy:''' "But, Susy, I want to go to ''heaven'' when I die! ''What'' am I supposed to ''do?''"

+

+

(Panel 29)

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "Jesus did something very ''special'' for you, Timmy... to make sure th ol'''devil'' doesn't get you when you die."

+

+

(Panel 30)

+

* '''Timmy:''' "Susy, this is scary. What ''did'' Jesus do?"

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "He left ''heaven'' for you, Timmy!"

+

* '''Timmy:''' "''Heaven?'' What are you trying to say? He's ''God''?"

+

+

(Panel 31)

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "Yes, He ''is'', Timmy, and the devil fought Him for your soul. And the angels in heaven were watching it ''all!''"

+

+

(panel 32)

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "When Jesus was born, the devil sent a whole ''army'' of men to kill Him."

+

* '''Timmy:''' "Did Jesus get away?"

+

+

(Panel 33)

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "Oh, yes!... because He had to grow up and show us the ''only'' way we can get into heaven."

+

* '''Timmy:''' "How's that?"

+

+

(Panel 34)

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "Jesus said, "''I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.""

+

* '''Timmy:''' "Is Jesus the ''only'' way to heaven?"

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "That's right, Timmy."

+

+

(Panel 35)

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "And this is what Jesus went through to take away our sins... He was arrested, tortured and put to death -- ''because of a dirty lie!'' "For God so loved the world ''(that's you)'', that he gave his only begotten Son (''Jesus)'', that whosoever believeth in him should not perish (''in hell''), but have everlasting life (''in heaven'')." He shed His precious blood (''God's blood'') to wash away our sins. He died, was buried and 3 days later, He ''arose'' from the dead! Later He went back up into heaven... and He's gonna come back... ''real'' soon!"

+

+

(Panel 36)

+

* '''Timmy:''' "Is that true, Susy?

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "Yes, Timmy, and the devil doesn't ''want'' people to hear about Jesus... So he ''blinds'' them and makes them think there are ''many'' ways to heaven."

+

+

(Panel 37)

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "Most of the world will end up in hell with the old devil because they didn't believe in Jesus so they could be saved."

+

* '''Timmy:''' "Susy, I ''want'' Jesus to save me. What am I supposed to do?"

+

+

(Panel 38)

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "Pray and ask Jesus to forgive you for your sins and to come into your heard and save you."

+

* '''Timmy:''' "OK, I will!"

+

+

(Panel 39)

+

So Timmy prayed and Jesus became His Saviour and the Lord of his life.

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "Good for you, Timmy. Now the old devil won't get you."

+

+

(Panel 40)

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "Timmy, Jesus created man and apes the same day. Ms. Henn doesn't believe in Jesus. She's ''wrong''! But she's our teacher and we have to respect her."

+

+

(Panel 41)

+

* '''Timmy:''' "The old devil has blinded Ms. Henn, Right, Susy?"

+

* '''Li'l Susy:''' "Yes, Timmy, she believes a ''lie'' and we must love her and pray for her."

+

If ''YOU'' believe in Evolution instead of Jesus, ''you'll'' end up in hell.

+

+

{{Comment-box1|label=Comment:|text=At the bottom of the tract, there is a sheet that asks if you accepted Jesus as your personal Saviour. The headline says "NOBODY ELSE CAN SAVE YOU, TRUST JESUS TODAY!" which sounds like many sales pitches that is used in commercials. "Buy this product today!"}}

+

+

+

''This section is not complete.''

+

+

==External link==

+

* [http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/1051/1051_01.asp Full tract at Chick.com]

{{jackchick}}

{{jackchick}}

[[Category:Apologetic literature]]

[[Category:Apologetic literature]]

Latest revision as of 13:56, 24 January 2010

Apes, Lies and Ms. Henn is a tract written by the evangelistJack Chick. It contains a message for children about the supposed falsity of evolution.

Synopsis

(Panel 1)

Principal:(holding up a photograph) "I have good news children. Your teacher, Mrs. Tucker, had twins!"

Li'l Susy: "Wow!"

Principal: "And here is your new teacher, Ms. Henn."

{Panel 2)

Class: "GOOD MORNING, MS. HENN!"

Ms. Henn: "Thank you, children."

Comment: Notice how the regular teacher was a "Mrs." while the new one is "Ms."? Could this be a subtle foreshadowing of how unpleasant Ms. Henn is going to be? After all, middle-aged women who go by "Ms." obviously have something wrong with them... right?

(Panel 3)

Ms. Henn: "We're going to be great friends... and you'll meet many of my close friends, too."

Comment: "You'll meet many of my close friends"? Usually, teachers don't invite their friends to class. But maybe this is supposed to refer to the many great figures of history (a picture of George Washington can be seen hanging on the wall) and, presumably, science that Ms. Henn plans to introduce the children to.

(Panel 4)

Ms. Henn: "We're going to have such fun together... As long as you do what I say!"

Comment: Chick portrays the teacher as visually unappealing, in order to help get his message across.

(Panel 5)

LATER

Ms. Henn: "Today I want you to know how great you are and how far humans have come... soon we'll live in outer space!"

Class:(various kids) "Ooh!" "Wow!" "Awesome!"

(Panel 6)

Ms. Henn: "But it took millions of years to change from apes into humans."

Comment: She is gesturing toward a poster showing the classic ape-to-man-walking-upright series of depictions, labeled "Evolution of Man". Of course, the species did not change from ape to human; apes and humans have a relatively recent common ancestor. Evolution is best not thought of as a series of species, one after another. A better metaphor is that of a tree, in which existing species give rise to new species (larger branches sprouting off smaller ones) but are not replaced by them (not necessarily, anyway).

(Panel 7)

Kid: "Ms. Henn, did we really come from monkeys?"

Ms. Henn: "Yes, scientists have PROVEN it."

Comment: Science has proven no such thing. No teacher who really understands science would use the word "proven" in this context. More importantly, though, the correct answer to the kid's question is, "No." Or more precisely: "No, not monkeys like we see today, but ape-like animals that gave rise to humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and other modern apes."

Ms. Henn: "If I tell you we came from apes... I expect you to believe me... right?"

Li'l Susy: "Oh Lord, she's lying! What can I do?"

Comment: She isn't lying. She obviously believes what she is saying. Susy isn't lying either. Susy says what she imagines is true. Also aren't you supposed not to say the lord's name in vain? That seems vain to me.

(Panel 17)

Ms. Henn: "The scientific evidence is absolutely overwhelming! Millions of years ago dinosaurs ruled the earth...

Comment: So we are supposed to refuse to believe scientists without even looking at the evidence just because someone drew a characture of a really unpleasant and irrational teacher. The teacher and the class are fiction.

(Panel 18)

Ms. Henn: "Scientists believe they disappeared when a gigantic comet hit the earth."

Li'l Susy: "Cuz God made the earth in only 6 days, not millions of years."

Timmy: "How do you know?"

Comment: Jack Chick gives no reason why the Bible is considered more reliable than other Creation myths.

(Panel 21)

Li'l Susy: "God tells us in the Bible what happened... and He should know... He was there! Was Ms. Henn?"

Timmy: "She's old, but she's not that old!"

(Panel 22)

Li'l Susy: "God said He made the first dinosaur and the first man... on the same day! And that was about 6,000 years ago, not millions!"

(Panel 23)

Timmy: "That's in the Bible?"

Li'l Susy: "The Bible tells us lots of stuff. It even tells us where we go when we die.

(Panel 24)

Timmy: "We all go to heaven, right?

Li'l Susy: "No, Timmy, most people will end up in hell."

Li'l Susy: "How come?"

(Panel 25)

Li'l Susy: "Because of Sin, Timmy... Sin is when people do bad things and disobey God. And sin is what keeps people from going to heaven."

Timmy: "Wow, I didn't know that!"

(Panel 26)

Li'l Susy: "The saddest part is... if people are told that we come from apes... and believe it... Then they won't pay any attention to what God Says."

(Panel 27)

Timmy: "Susy, what Ms. Henn told us today is wrong if it gets us in trouble with God."

Li'l Susy: "That's right! This lie was created by the devil to keep kids out of heaven."

(Panel 28)

Timmy: "But, Susy, I want to go to heaven when I die! What am I supposed to do?"

(Panel 29)

Li'l Susy:' "Jesus did something very special for you, Timmy... to make sure th oldevil doesn't get you when you die."

(Panel 30)

Timmy: "Susy, this is scary. What did Jesus do?"

Li'l Susy: "He left heaven for you, Timmy!"

Timmy: "Heaven? What are you trying to say? He's God?"

(Panel 31)

Li'l Susy: "Yes, He is, Timmy, and the devil fought Him for your soul. And the angels in heaven were watching it all!"

(panel 32)

Li'l Susy: "When Jesus was born, the devil sent a whole army of men to kill Him."

Timmy: "Did Jesus get away?"

(Panel 33)

Li'l Susy: "Oh, yes!... because He had to grow up and show us the only way we can get into heaven."

Timmy: "How's that?"

(Panel 34)

Li'l Susy: "Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.""

Timmy: "Is Jesus the only way to heaven?"

Li'l Susy: "That's right, Timmy."

(Panel 35)

Li'l Susy: "And this is what Jesus went through to take away our sins... He was arrested, tortured and put to death -- because of a dirty lie! "For God so loved the world (that's you), that he gave his only begotten Son (Jesus), that whosoever believeth in him should not perish (in hell), but have everlasting life (in heaven)." He shed His precious blood (God's blood) to wash away our sins. He died, was buried and 3 days later, He arose from the dead! Later He went back up into heaven... and He's gonna come back... real soon!"

(Panel 36)

Timmy: "Is that true, Susy?

Li'l Susy: "Yes, Timmy, and the devil doesn't want people to hear about Jesus... So he blinds them and makes them think there are many ways to heaven."

(Panel 37)

Li'l Susy: "Most of the world will end up in hell with the old devil because they didn't believe in Jesus so they could be saved."

Timmy: "Susy, I want Jesus to save me. What am I supposed to do?"

(Panel 38)

Li'l Susy: "Pray and ask Jesus to forgive you for your sins and to come into your heard and save you."

Timmy: "OK, I will!"

(Panel 39)
So Timmy prayed and Jesus became His Saviour and the Lord of his life.

Li'l Susy: "Good for you, Timmy. Now the old devil won't get you."

(Panel 40)

Li'l Susy: "Timmy, Jesus created man and apes the same day. Ms. Henn doesn't believe in Jesus. She's wrong! But she's our teacher and we have to respect her."

(Panel 41)

Timmy: "The old devil has blinded Ms. Henn, Right, Susy?"

Li'l Susy: "Yes, Timmy, she believes a lie and we must love her and pray for her."

If YOU believe in Evolution instead of Jesus, you'll end up in hell.

Comment: At the bottom of the tract, there is a sheet that asks if you accepted Jesus as your personal Saviour. The headline says "NOBODY ELSE CAN SAVE YOU, TRUST JESUS TODAY!" which sounds like many sales pitches that is used in commercials. "Buy this product today!"